Prayer and Tears
by crazykitsune17
Summary: To me, Kurama was… definitely more than a friend. If I meant the same to him as he meant to me, I’ll never know, but Kurama was… well, he was my first love. oneshot, deathfic, KuramaxYukina flavored


**Prayer and Tears**

_by crazykitsune17_

I'm kneeling next to my brother in front of the memorial picture at Kurama's human house. There are a dozen red and black candles surrounding the photograph – the fox spirit's latest school photo from the university – as well as nearly a hundred roses. While the outside aroma was lovely, my heightened sense could still smell the bitter scent of sorrow and death mingled in a pungent potpourri with the flowers. I fought hard not to cry, as Kurama's mother would be shocked to see gems bouncing on the floor as I wept.

Hiei, beside me, had a tight-faced expression, his lips pressed together firmly, eyes slightly narrowed as if he were angry, but anger was not the aura I perceived from him. It was more of a somber emptiness, riddled with confusion. While we both have experienced loss in our lives – our mother, each other for a while – this one hit us the hardest. Kurama was a one-of-a-kind friend. To both of us.

To Hiei, he was a lifelong companion, a shoulder to lean on should he ever need to. Hiei was strong, and he never showed it if he could help it, but deep inside, he needed Kurama. Really needed him. He refused to accept help from anybody else but him. And now that Kurama was gone, he must feel so lost…

To me, Kurama was… definitely more than a friend. If I meant the same to him as he meant to me, I'll never know, but Kurama was… well, he was my first love.

I treasured every minute I had with the redhead, savoring the seconds, indulging in the hours. Of course, he was always very busy with schoolwork and Spirit World business, but when he could, he would make time for me. He made time for all of his friends, but when he was with me, it always felt as if he never wanted to part.

We would take walks, go out for ice cream – a treat I enjoyed almost as much as Hiei – go see movies and plays and concerts. Boys like Yusuke and Kazuma may argue that wrestling and yakuza movies were the best bets for entertainment, but I liked the theater. Kurama did too, and he took me to some of the most fabulous shows in town. My beloved home of Koorime Island may be lovely, but the human world is so full of beauty too, and Kurama showed that to me! Traditional dances and music I found to be my favorite parts of the human culture when Kurama took me to a spring festival.

On Christmas, he invited me over to his house for a quiet evening in, and I will say that it was a night I will never forget – especially now, as it would be terrible to forget any moment I shared with Kurama. We had tea and sweet cakes, and… well… I remember that he grabbed my hands – his felt so big and warm! – and he said to me, "Yukina… Meri Kurisumasu."

It was nothing special. After all, everyone gave the greeting of "Merry Christmas" on Christmas day. But the way he said it… with that look in his eyes, so deep and sparkling green like an emerald ocean, and his hands so soft and warm… It was almost as if he was telling me he loved me…

I bit my lip hard to keep the tears from falling. I glanced over at Hiei, hoping he would notice my struggle to keep the tears in and leave with me, but he had his head bowed in a sort of prayer. It was odd; I had never seen Hiei pray before, and here he was, bowed on his knees as low as he could go, eyes closed, lips parted as if he were whispering something only Kurama could hear. I did the same, bowing deeply and burying my face in the sleeves of my kimono – a black one I had borrowed from Botan, for mourning.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and silently, a gem rolled out. I willed my voice not to shake as I whispered as softly as I could, "Kurama… I love you."

I dared not raise my head, as I felt that I wouldn't be able to stop the tears from flowing if I did, but my acute hearing caught the sound of a faint whisper – the swoosh of warm wind – and the sound of a candle being blown out.

Hiei had finished his respectful prayer and gently lifted me from my mourning. Resolutely but with great difficulty, I held my tears in.

As Hiei put his arm around my shoulder and guided me out the door, I looked back behind me and noticed that my single tear gem was gone.

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A/N: I've been in the mood for a deathfic, so I decided to write my own little short one. No, I don't know why Kurama died, nor do I care. Make up your own reason, that's half the fun of it. ; I hope you all enjoyed this, and, of course, reviews would be wonderful.

-crazykitsune17


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